Being a Freemason I am always intrigued by sites that claim to reveal all our secrets for a low, low price.

I was especially intrigued by some spam I received from a fellow advertising the complete library of masonic works with ALL THE SECRETS!!!

I ordered the CD for about twenty bucks, I think. What I received surprised me, though. It was more than a hundred eBooks (all public domain) and
bulletins, including a lot of the works of Manly Hall, Pike, et al.

It was a treasure trove! Many of the texts are favorites of mine and being able to carry them around on my Droid Eris (HAIL ERIS!) I always have
something to read.

Among the 'revelatory' works are some amazing, yet anonymous, writings on the true nature of Freemasonry.

I will post some of text of one of these articles (public domain) and try to find a link for those who want the PDF.

FREEMASONRY - SECRET OR NOT SECRET

(author unknown)

Many people are of the opinion that Masonry is a secret society, but I
hope to dispel this misconception. There is much that may be told to
wife or mother, father or friend - told to the glory and the help of the
Ancient Craft with no violation of the solemn pledge sacredly to keep
secret that which is secret.

It is no secret that he who becomes a Freemason joins an order which
reverences womanhood, which upholds law and constitutional
government, which cares for the widow and the fatherless, which
inculcates the highest moral and religious principles, which fosters
patriotism, which instructs in toleration and obliges conscientiousness
in human relations.

I'm sure the folks who paint us as misogynists are convulsing madly at this point...

The most careful brother may tell his wife that in his Lodge the Holy
Bible lies open upon an Altar. The fact is written in a thousand
volumes, and is proclaimed in Masonic books of the law.

The manuals and monitors of many Grand Lodges set forth the prayers
which are uttered in the degrees -- what is printed by a Grand Lodge
cannot in its very nature be a secret from any one. That all Lodges are
opened and closed with prayer -- that every Lodge has a Chaplain -- is
a secret from no one.

Here I might interject the opening prayer that is similarly styled in all US lodges:

Supreme Ruler of the Universe, we would reverently invoke Thy blessing; that this meeting, thus begun in order, may be conducted in peace and
closed in harmony, Amen.

It has been well said that Freemasonry is not a secret society, but a
society with secrets. A secret society is one of which only its members
know; a society with secrets may be one of which the world knows
much.

Grand Lodges publish "Proceedings" in which the actions of the Grand
Lodge at annual and special communications are set forth. Many of
these contain the names of every man who is a Freemason. To be
found in Libraries the world over -- these are no more secret
documents than is a telephone or city directory.

There is nothing secret about a man being a Freemason -- he is proud
of the fact and the Fraternity is proud of him.

...

"But my wife wants to know what we do in Lodge" - someone states.

Tell her what you do in Lodge! You meet and open. The opening is a
ritualistic ceremony in which brethren are reminded of that which is
high and holy in Freemasonry. The chaplain invokes the blessing of
God. Minutes are read, visitors welcomed, matters of business and
charity are discussed, action is taken.

The ill are heard from, through the Committee on the Sick; letters. from absent brethren are read. Is there anything here, except the words and form
of ritualistic ceremony, that the world may not know?

At this point I dare not cut and paste more lest my virtual brethren tear out my wireless adapter by its USB port, smash it to bits and roast it alive
upon an altar of charcoal and bratwurst....

I digress.

I will post more but I want to give the naysayers a moment to catch up.

Dude that would be awesome if you could put a link up. My Step-Grandfather was a Mason and the only way I found out was when he died. Being an Active
Marine at the time, and him serving in WW2 I got to participate, loosely in the burial ritual. Which I might add, was nothing satanic. I even tried to
join the Freemasons afterward, by trying to contact them, but never received a reply. Oh well. It would be cool to be invited into their meeting
place, because I would still like to see if I could be accepted. Among many things, I would just like to be a part of a brotherhood. To be a part of
something great again. Like the U.S. Marines. Brothers.

You can most likely join a lodge close to you. Many lodges have websites and email adresses. Search for one that is close to you on google and email
them with your interest in joining. Go down to the lodge and meet some of the masons and express your interest in joining. Just about any good man
with a belief in a higher power above the age of 21 can become a mason (!8 in some places), you just have to meet a few masons and ask basically. Like
I said there is tons of info readily available on the web that can help you contact local masons and join the fraternity.

In grade school sometimes a kid would announce "I have a secret" Until they revealed the secret they drew positive and negative attention. Masons
don't flaunt the fact that they have secrets in order to cause people to feel left out. In grade school and today there are people who, because they
do feel left out..lash out. Not much changes with the base responses of people faced with not knowing the unknown. I see people search for their own
secrets via their own path to enlightenment. I also see some folks stomp their feet and call names in hopes it will draw a secret out. A good mason
will not enter into debate with those who, thru ignorance, will seek reasons to ridicule or defame the fraternity. Little positive will come of
it...just like in grade school

The key here is that this fraternal organization has done TREMENDOUS amounts of good for this country, and for the people who have benefited by being
included in its institution. This is not a lie, or a cover-up.

It is the simple truth.

How many other organizations have had former members write terrible lies and half-truths to make that organization look bad. This is where so many
false-hoods came from about Masonic traditions!

I just totally disagree...I think the more wise ones will not throw what they consider to be pearls to the swine.

I think its absurd to assume that man with knowledge or a 'knowing' would just walk around sharing this knowledge with everyone. If its knowledge
that cant be proven...then they are not going to just share it with others that might call it foolish.

Why does man get so offended if they think another man is keeping something to themselves?

Why care what they believe or what they worship or what ancient mysteries they hold dear to them. You can do the same thing....study ancient history
and pick one that is dear to you or combine them all for that matter.

With such "holier than thou" people running around with such obvious vehemence, no wonder Catholic and Protestant "Christians" don't mind
murdering each other. Yet, because they believe they are spiritually superior, they can decide who is "accetable."

The sad thing is that the Masonic organizations have been performing good deeds over decades and decades that have made people's lives better. It
should be commendable to do good deeds, and to thoroughly examine any organization before pronouncing judgment over them. Yet the "anti-Masons"
just spew forth hatred without context or knowledge.

Jesus told his critics to study hiis deeds, to see if He was doing the work of his Father. Look at all of the good that has been done by the Masonic
groups of organizations before blindly condemming each and every one of us!

How can you be certain that it is not YOU who is one of the sheep, and that you have been intentionally misinformed about a very good organization and
contains many serious, dedicated individuals who work together for the benefit of mankind?

The lower tiers of freemasonry are not involved with the higher members, and cannot exist in a fraternity with the upper members until they pay the
proper fees, and make the social connections required of them to ascend in rank and trust. Until that time, charities, good fellowship, and positive
societal values are the norm. It's no secret that lower levels of freemasonry do some good. It's the top of their food chain that is the concern.
They are not going to spare those who don't make it into their ranks either. That's why it's foolish to support their pyramid base.

Originally posted by Northwarden
The lower tiers of freemasonry are not involved with the higher members, and cannot exist in a fraternity with the upper members until they pay the
proper fees, and make the social connections required of them to ascend in rank and trust.

This is untrue. The "lower tiers of freemasonry" are the First and Second Degrees, which are probationary degrees. Initiates of these degrees are
mentored by Master Masons until they themselves become Master Masons, thus making them full members of the fraternity.

The higher degrees of the Scottish and York Rite are available to all Master Masons who want them. The fees are negligible, and when one becomes a
Master Mason, he is generally invited immediately into the higher Rites.

It's no secret that lower levels of freemasonry do some good. It's the top of their food chain that is the concern. They are not going to
spare those who don't make it into their ranks either. That's why it's foolish to support their pyramid base.

There is not a "pyramid base" in Masonry, and all levels and organizations within Freemasonry support charities. For example, the Shrine's
hospitals, the Scottish Rite Childhool Language Disorder Clinics, the Knight Templar Eye Foundation, and the Cryptic Masons Medical Research
Association are only a small handful of those that could be mentioned.

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